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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102369">The time has come</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madsmarie/pseuds/madsmarie'>madsmarie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Outlander (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:14:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102369</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madsmarie/pseuds/madsmarie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything is the same, except Claire went back to lallybroch instead of going through the stones. Jamie fraser gets to watch brianna fraser grow up from afar.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser, Fergus Fraser/Brianna Randall Fraser MacKenzie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I know what I had told Jamie. I know what I had promised him. Yet, I, in good conscience, could not stay in 1946 any longer than absolutely necessary. I had stayed beside the stones for hours on end, contemplating what I should do, even though I knew what my gut was telling me. I had yet to even try to reach out to the stones, their rhythmic buzzing seemed to force me into a trance. IT was time, no one had come by the stones yet, I had to, the battle would be over by now. </p><p>My palm pressed flat against the stone and everything fell away.</p><p> I came to, back where I belonged, the roar of battle could be heard miles away. This was the one time I would be wrong. I moved quickly, to the cottage that Jamie and I had hidden in before he'd sent me away. I knew how to get home to lallybroch from here, Jamie had told me the way many times to soothe his own worries. This was a time that I would be ever so thankful for these stories. I  mounted a horse that had been left there and moved quickly. </p><p>The ride was a long one, as it always had been and always would be, yet, nonetheless, I was ecstatic to see Ian as I crossed the Lallybroch land. </p><p>"Claire? What're ye doin' here?" a pause "where's Jamie? I thought ye'd be wi' him."</p><p>"The battle has started and he sent me away." I couldn't ever tell them just how far away he'd have sent me. "He didn't want me near the battle seeing as I'm pregnant."</p><p>Ians face changed multiple times in the course of minutes, from worry, to fear, to elation and back to fear. as the man of few words, Ian nodded and turned course for me to follow him into the hearth of the home. Jenny was in the kitchen as I approached and she too turned to me with confusion on her face.</p><p>"Claire, we hadna' expected ye back quite so soon." she started, feigning a smile. I could see the worry for her brother etched into every part of her face.</p><p>"Jamie sent me away, the battle was about to begin and he didn't want me anywhere near it."</p><p>"Well why not? you're a healer are you not?" </p><p>"Yes, but I am also pregnant and we didn't....we couldn't risk it again."</p><p>understanding flushed over jennys sweet face and she said no more. I moved to help where I could. Anything to keep my mind off the idea that my husband was either now dead or dying any moment. If he somehow did not die and found himself back home, he would forever be angry with me. Which, was a risk I would be willing to take.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Return of James Fraser</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I couldn't tell you how long it'd been since the end of the battle at Culloden. No word from Jamie caused both Jenny and I anguish the longer it went. So we kept ourselves busy. Farming, cleaning, sewing, healing. Anything that would keep our minds off the fate of one messer James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser. </p><p>His ring on my finger sat heavily as I twisted it. Jenny and I were sitting in the living room with her children when we heard someone call out that a horse with a trailer was coming up the walkway. Confusion was evident on both my and Jenny's faces as we peeled out the door. I ran to meet the rider when red hair caught my eye. My breath caught in my throat and I quickly climbed in with him.</p><p>"Jamie?!" I called out, my hand ghosting over his form as I searched for what ailed him the most. "Oh holy hell, Jamie." The words caught in my throat as people came around to help me pull him from the trailer. He had an infected cut on his leg and I knew that I had to do everything in my power to heal this leg. He could forgive me for coming back, but I wasn't sure he'd forgive me if I took his leg from him. <br/>Quickly, we moved to empty the table where we butchered animals and I moved to clean the largest knife there was. "Jamie, I have to cut you. It's going to hurt and you're going to pass out, but bite down on this and you'll be okay...." I hoped the uncertainty in my voice wasn't too evident. He just nodded weakly as Jenny pressed a piece of cloth into his mouth. I tried to make the cut quick, cutting his leg to the bone and hearing the scream of the man you love is difficult in and of its own. </p><p>Jamie Fraser passed out after that and I took my time cleaning and caring for the wound, slowly, stitching it back together using cleaned sewing needles and yarn. It wasn't the best, but it would have to do.</p><p>Jamie was out for almost an entire day after his arrival back at Lallybroch and I refused to move from his side. Either I was sitting next to his side, hand in his, or checking everything about him, to make sure I didn't miss anything. It was around noon on the day after he arrived that Jamie woke up. </p><p>He groaned, stirring as I pushed his hair back.</p><p>"Sassenach...." came the softest voice I have ever heard from his lips. I couldn't help but started to cry and that was when he opened his eyes. "It truly is ye, ain't it sassenach?" He reached his free hand out to me, his hand cupping my face. "What're ye doing 'ere? I thought ye went back to frank..."</p><p>I sniffled, wiping my eyes quickly. "I- I didn't mean to. You sent me back, and I  reached out to the stones. I didn't think it would work again...but it did. I couldn't go back, Jamie. Something was telling me you were alive and I just couldn't deny you even the slightest chance of seeing your child."</p><p>His eyebrows shot up then, a slight panic in his eyes. "Is the bairn-?" His voice cut off.</p><p>"They're okay, so far I can tell. Healthy." </p><p>and he let out a long exhale. I saw a tear slowly slip from his eyes as he squeezed my hand. "Aye. Thank god fer that and fer you sassenach."</p><p>"You're not upset with me then?"</p><p>"Nay, I'm quite relieved ye followed your gut, honestly sassenach." He pulled me to him and kissed me gently. "I get to watch my bairn grow up. I couldna ask fer more than that."</p><p>those were his last words to me before Jenny came in to check on him and upon seeing him awake, promptly laid into him. </p><p>I couldn't help but notice the humor in his eyes as Jenny yelled at him, tears flowing out of her eyes as she smacked his chest multiple times calling him an Idiot and right arse and everything in between. She finished saying "But god damn it, ye are the luckiest son of a bitch there is, James Fraser. I couldn't be happier that you're here."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am so sorry this took so long. I wrote this entire chapter and then my computer shut down and erased it all. I got really discouraged and busy with school, but I am back and should be back to regular posting soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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